I Won't Let Go - I Will Always Return
by Elise Lowing
Summary: Natsu is almost completely transformed into E.N.D. and his soul is about to be consumed by the darkness. Lucy immediately rushes to save him before that happens, or worse. In doing so, she will have to confess a secret that she has been repressing, but it will ultimately decide Natsu's fate. Will it be enough to call Natsu back?
1. I Won't Let Go

**There's a story behind this.**

 **I saw a picture on DeviantArt, and it got me into writing this fan fiction.**

 **Just so you know, yes, this is a NaLu fan fiction. I usually don't write romance, but this gave me a chance to try it out. I just hope I don't make it cheesy or anything like that. I just had an idea I wanted to explore. So I'll just have to see where my pen takes me.**

 **As for the story, this is based on a picture I saw of Lucy trying to free Natsu from his "E.N.D. form". I would imagine this would be pretty emotional and Lucy would have to speak her true feelings, or else risk losing her best friend, either to the dark side or by having him slain.**

 **So this is more of a prediction story about what MIGHT happen. I don't claim to know what will happen in the actual canon story. I'm just going off of what I know, and what I would personally like to see happen.**

 **Ah, that's the great thing of being a fan fiction writer. You can make any story you want. ;)**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail; I am merely exploring a possible story.**

 **With that said, let's begin.**

* * *

 **I Won't Let Go**

"STOP!"

Breathless, limps shaking from fatigue and fear, Lucy stood at the entrance of the Lumen Historie Chamber. Her face was whiter than paper and her eyes were brimmed with tears that were braced to fall.

A few yards in front of her, standing in front of the giant crystal, was a human who looked like he was half demon, half human.

It was the fire demon from the Book of Zeref's: E.N.D. But that wasn't the thing that frightened Lucy the most.

When he heard Lucy call out to him, he stopped for a brief moment before slowly turning around. His dead crimson eyes met her chocolate brown ones and made her shiver.

"Natsu," she whispered, her voice now weak and fearful.

Natsu Dragneel, who turned out to be E.N.D. himself, was almost completely transformed. His jacket was torn right down the middle, exposing his torso. Hideous flaming black tattoos were slowly making their way up his chest and neck, continuing onto his face. His ears had become longer and pointed. His hair stuck up straight in a menacing fashion, and was accented by two large, jagged horns growing straight out of his head. Out of his back were two enormous, wicked red wings that had a disgusting look to them.

But it was his eyes that made Lucy feel sick with fear and worry. They were blood red and completely devoid of all life. It was like something had reached into Natsu and ripped his soul clean out of him.

For a moment or two, the two just stood where they were, staring at each other. Natsu didn't show much of an emotion, but Lucy clearly showed that she was frightened. But it wasn't her own safety she was afraid of.

 _"Natsu's almost transformed!"_ her mind thought franticly. _"I can feel it! He's slipping away! I've got to do something! If I don't, then Grey will have to…!"_

Lucy couldn't even bring her thoughts to say it.

No! This couldn't be Natsu's fate! He couldn't die like that! And he certainly couldn't become some monster!

She had to do something to save him! But what?!

"I must admit," Natsu said, his voice dry and detached, "I'm surprised you came to face me by yourself. You must be pretty brave, or just plain foolish. Do you think you can fight against me? I'm the most powerful of the Etherious. But if you wish to challenge me, then I accept."

Lucy swallowed the lump in the throat. She would have to summon all of her courage for this. She forced her legs to move, and she cautiously began to walk forward.

"Natsu," she whimpered, "please."

When she spoke his name, Natsu gave an almost-unnoticable expression of confusion.

"Natsu?" he questioned, as if that name was foreign to him.

"Yes." Lucy's voice trembled. "Natsu, Natsu Dragneel. That's who you are. You're a wizard of Fairy Tail. Please, Natsu, you have to try to remember."

Natsu then raised his hand and a ball of harsh orange and red flames appeared. Lucy stopped dead in her tracks when he aimed it at her. His fingers curved around the fire, his long, claw-like fingernails pointing in her direction.

"This is just a fraction of my power," he said with a growl. "If you wish to fight me, then I promise you I won't hold back."

Lucy stood where she was, trembling in fear. That fire was no joke.

"I must admit," Natsu continued, "you're a lot braver than I expected. Most people wouldn't even dare to come within three feet of me. Yet you do so of your own free will," he then narrowed his eyes. "But I can see you're shaking. And you should be afraid. All I gotta do is release this ball of fire, and you'll be sent into a blazing oblivion."

 _"I can't move!"_ Lucy's mind said in a panic. _"Natsu, he's…!"_

It was only now that Lucy realized that Natsu was going to kill her. That fire in his hand was growing more and more intense. Any second he would release it and she would be burned alive.

"Natsu stop, please!" she screamed. "This isn't you! You'd never hurt anyone from Fairy Tail! You'd never hurt me!"

Natsu face hardened viciously.

"I grow weary of this idle talk," he snarled.

He was about to release the fiery orb when Lucy shouted: "Natsu, it's me, Lucy!"

At the sound of that name, Natsu stopped his expression changed dramatically to surprise, like a club had just struck him from behind. The orb in his hand flickered for a moment before extinguishing.

"Lu…Lucy?" he whispered, his voice filled with a shaky confusion.

Suddenly, Natsu shut his eyes and gripped his head in pain. Lucy stopped and watched in terror as he writhed about, moaning and straining in agony. Were his memories returning, or was the transformation starting again? She was really hoping that it was his memories.

However, to her absolute horror, the transformation began to speed up. The tattoos were snaking up across his body at an accelerating rate; his hair was growing longer and spikier; and his horns were beginning to grow again. As the transformation was reaching its peak, Natsu let out an agonizing howl.

"Natsu!" Lucy shrieked.

As if triggered by something she had never felt before, Lucy soon found herself dashing towards the transforming Demon. She didn't know what she would do when she reached him, but she didn't care. The only thing she could think of at that moment was saving her friend.

As Natsu looked up, Lucy rammed herself against him. A cry of pain escaped her mouth as she did. Natsu's whole body was burning hot, almost like it was a heated iron. It hurt horribly just to touch it. Lucy's first instinct was to pull away, but she resisted the urge. Instead, she tightly clung to the remains of Natsu's coat and pressed her forehead to his. The pain she was feeling was almost unbearable. She couldn't hold back her tears anymore. The moment she looked into Natsu's eyes, her tears streamed down her face.

She just had to save him. Even if there was just a sliver of a chance, she had to take it.

"What are you…doing?!" Natsu growled. "You know I could…easily kill you now!"

That remark seemed to strike Lucy in the heart like a metal stake. It wasn't the phrase itself that pained her, but it was the fact that it came from the voice of someone who would never threaten her like that. She couldn't bare it. She just couldn't.

This wasn't Natsu. This was a Curse that had taken over her best friend. And Lucy just had to set him free somehow.

"Natsu!" Lucy tearfully cried. "It's me, Lucy! I'm right here! Don't you remember me?! Please remember me! Just look into my eyes! We met in Hargeon and you saved me! You brought me to Fairy Tail and made me part of your team!"

Natsu fell silent. He just stood where he was, looking down on the young woman who clung to him. His dead crimson eyes looked straight into tear-blurred ones and he didn't blink.

"You also saved me from Phantom Lord!" Lucy continued to cry. "You were always there for me! Whenever I lost hope or was afraid, you gave me the strength to carry on! You were also the first person to believe in me! You gave me courage when I needed it the most! Please, Natsu, you have to remember!"

Natsu clenched, baring his teeth a little as he did. His tattoos were becoming more intense than before.

Lucy realized with a horrible shock that the transformation was almost complete. If she didn't do something soon, she would lose Natsu forever.

No! She couldn't lose someone so precious to her! Not again! She already lost her mother, father, and Aquarius! If she lost Natsu like this…!

Never! It didn't matter if he was an Etherious or not! He was still Natsu! He would always be Natsu to her!

She couldn't lose him! She wouldn't!

When Lucy opened her mouth again, she spoke more passionately than ever before. This time, her hesitation and doubt was shoved aside, and her heart spoke the true feelings that she had been holding deep inside.

"Natsu, you have to come back! I know you're in there! Please, hear my voice and fight this Curse! Please, I'm begging you! Fairy Tail needs you! Happy, Grey, Erza, Wendy, Carla, we all need you! I need you! I can't imagine my life without you! You're the best thing that ever happened to me! That's why I need you to stay with me! Because…I…I LOVE YOU, NATSU!"

The moment Lucy said that confession; she shut her eyes and hoisted herself up towards Natsu's face.

Their lips met.

In that split second, time itself seemed to stop.

For a moment, Lucy just pressed her lips to Natsu's. They were burning hot like the rest of him, but she didn't pull away. She just hoped and prayed that this would be enough to bring him back.

Then she felt something change. Natsu's body heat was going down. It wasn't slowly either. He was getting cooler by every second and millisecond. At the same time, there was the sound of sand being blown in the wind and across the floor.

For a while, Lucy was afraid to open her eyes and see what was happening. Finally, she gathered up the last of her courage and slowly pulled away.

She caught her breath when she saw that Natsu was transforming again. Only this time it was in reverse and at a much faster rate. His tattoos were fading away to reveal his naturally tanned skin and his hair was becoming less tattered. His horns and wings were disintegrating and vanishing into thin air, and his fingernails were returning back to normal.

As for his eyes, they had closed. But his face clearly showed that he was relaxed, like he was at peace. This transformation wasn't painful at all.

"Natsu?" Lucy whispered softly.

At last, Natsu slowly opened his eyes. To Lucy's heart-leaping joy, they were the honest black color they were always meant to be.

He was himself again. No doubt about it.

"Lucy?" Natsu said. His voice was low and just a little shaken.

"Natsu." Lucy replied. "Are you okay now?"

Natsu didn't answer. Instead, he looked at Lucy and his faced turned to worried. Lucy could see in his eyes that Natsu remembered what happened just moments ago. Not to mention, he could see the light burn marks on her forehead and hands. The guilt on his face was very noticeable.

"I'm…" Natsu hesitated. "I'm so sorry, Lucy. I hurt you, didn't I?"

"No, it's alright," the blonde-hair girl did her best to give him a reassuring smile. "It wasn't your fault. You weren't yourself and I know that."

Lucy's legs, which had been trembling the whole time, finally gave out from underneath her. She swayed for a moment and then fell.

"Lucy!" Natsu exclaimed.

The young man fell to his knees and caught the young woman in his arms. Lucy's shivered a little from the adrenaline that had increased over time and took in deep breaths to calm her bounding heart. The moment of terror had passed, and her energy was nearly drained. Her limbs felt numb and were quivering uncontrollably.

Her eyes then widened when she realized something.

Natsu was holding her close to him. His strong arms were wrapped around her back and waist. He held onto her as if he was afraid she would be wrenched away from him at any moment. She could feel him trembling from the force of it. She blushed when she noticed he was pressing her head up against his bare chest. She felt it rise and fall unsteadily as he breathed in and out shaky breaths.

Then something wet dripped onto her face. She looked up, and was surprised to see that tears were streaming down Natsu's face.

"What were you thinking, Loony?!" he said, his voice cracking from the emotion of it all. "I…I could've killed you!"

"Yeah," Lucy said gently, "I know you could've. But I also knew you wouldn't. You'd never hurt me."

Lucy then lifted her right arm up to embrace the Dragon Slayer. She closed her eyes and rested her cheek against Natsu's chest again. She heard and felt a thump against her ear that was quickly followed by several more in even intervals. She soon recognized that it was Natsu's heartbeat. It was strong like the fire that flowed though his veins, but also so soothing to listen to. It was such a wonderful thing to hear. Lucy felt as if she could listen to it forever.

The warmth of Natsu's body, the strong and steady beat of his heart, and the strength and gentleness of his arms; it all made Lucy feel safe. It was if nothing could harm her. And in that moment, it was something that she wanted to cherish for the rest of her life.

"Lucy," Natsu finally said, "I am sorry. I'm truly sorry."

Lucy opened her eyes and looked up at Natsu. She then smiled and placed her hand on the side of his face. Using her thumb, she wiped some of his tears away.

"I know you are," she replied. "But that wasn't you. That was E.N.D. taking over. You and that Demon are two different people. I don't care what anyone says, you're still Natsu to me."

Natsu looked at Lucy with astonishment. His eyes seemed to light up at the small speech she gave.

"And…" Lucy continued, a blush beginning to come over her cheeks. "I never told you this before because…I guess was too scared of my own feelings. But when I thought I was going to lose you forever, I…I couldn't lie to myself anymore. I don't know if you remember what I said, but I promise you it was the truth. Natsu, I love you, with all my heart."

There was a long silence.

Slowly but surely, a smile began to spread across Natsu's face. He closed his eyes and bent his head down until his forehead touched Lucy's. She winced a bit as the burn on her forehead stung for a second. But she quickly ignored the pain and smiled back.

"I'm sort of glad you waited until now to tell me." Natsu whispered, his voice full of honesty. "Cause if you hadn't, I'm not sure I would've been able to break the Curse on my own. I was lost in the darkness. I almost forgot who I was and everyone I held dear. But then I heard your voice, and it guided me back to the light. You brought me back."

He moved in a little closer.

"Thank you, Lucy," he said. "You saved my life. And…I've got something to confess. Lucy, I love you, too."

Finally, Natsu closed the gap between their faces and kissed Lucy on the lips. Lucy tensed and her eyes widened for a moment as a brand new wave of an unfelt emotion rushed through her. She then closed her eyes, hugged him around the neck, and returned the kiss. The feeling she had was so different from any she had felt before, and it was so overwhelming. But she didn't resent it in the slightest. She treasured it.

For a moment, both Natsu and Lucy's hearts, pressed up against each other, began to beat together in perfect time.

This would be something they would cherish for the rest of their lives.

After for what seemed like forever, the two gently pulled away from each other. The memory of the moment still lingered fresh in their minds and they still held onto each other.

Natsu then let out a sigh and looked into Lucy's eyes.

"We still have work to do," he said. "We still have to stop Zeref and Acnologia. And there are the others. Well, as far as they know, I'm still E.N.D."

"Yes." Lucy replied. "But you don't have to be afraid. I'll be by your side the whole time."

Natsu gave a gracious nod. He then began to stand up, supporting Lucy at the same time as she got to her feet, too. Once they were both standing, they looked at each other as an unspoken promise passed between them.

 _We'll do this together as one!_

Natsu then took Lucy's hand in his and they two ran out of the Lumen Historie Chamber.

Lucy wasn't sure of what they would do once they found the others, but she wasn't afraid of the unforeseen outcome. She had a newfound courage glowing deep inside. And she knew that she would stay by Natsu no matter what happened. She would never let him go again. If anyone was going to hurt him, they would have to go through her first. Natsu had protected her so many times in the past, and now it was her turn to protect him.

No, they would protect each other. Natsu would always have her back, and she would always have his.

Nothing was going to tear them apart. Nothing was going to break the bond that they shared. For what they had was stronger than fear; than darkness; than all of the power of Acnologia and Zeref combined.

And now that they had confessed their love for each other, their bond was even stronger than ever before.

* * *

 **Well, that's it!**

 **Geez, who know writing romance would be so hard. Especially when someone like me is not used to writing it. I guess there was a reason for that though. Still, I am a bit of a sap when comes to good shipping.**

 **And Natsu and Lucy are my favorite ship in Fairy Tail. As the series goes on, I have a feeling that something like this is going to happen. Of course, that's up to the creator of the story. I just had fun coming up with a theory.**

 **This story is a one-shot, and it was told from Lucy's perspective. I am considering writing this situation again from Natsu's perceptive though. I think it would be interesting to see what was going on through his mind when he was transforming and when Lucy brought him back.**

 **Let me know in the comments if you would like me to do write that.**

 **Anyway, thank you so much for reading this. I hope to bring more entertainment in the future.**

 **Have a Good Day!**


	2. I Will Always Return

**Well, I did consider doing this story from Natsu's perspective. And the idea has been floating around in my head for a while. So here we go. This is the last part of the story.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail; I am merely exploring a possible story.**

 **With that said, let's begin.**

* * *

 **I Will Always Return**

All around him was nothing but utter darkness.

A man with salmon-colored hair just floated in that oblivion. It didn't matter where he looked. All he saw was emptiness and blackness. His body was slowly fading into the oblivion around him, but he didn't seem to notice, nor did he even seem care.

He felt nothing. Nothing at all: physically or emotionally. He couldn't even feel the very cloths he was wearing.

All his emotions just seemed to be nonexistent. He didn't even know what emotions were anymore. All feeling he might have had before was just numb. His strength was all gone and his willpower had vanished without a trace.

All he could do was float there with a drowsy look on his face.

 _"Where am I?"_ his thoughts echoed. _"And…who am I?"_

A low voice seemed to answer his soundless questions from some unknown location. It sounded sick and rough, like some dying creature hanging onto life.

 ** _"Destroy,"_** it hissed malevolently. **_"Destroy all in your path. Show no mercy and destroy all who oppose you, E.N.D."_**

 _"E.N.D.?"_ the young man's thoughts were so dreary now. _"What's…E.N.D.?"_

Suddenly, somewhere in the darkness, another voice faintly called out, _"Natsu…"_

The young man lifted his head just a bit. For some odd reason, that particular voice caused him to move, almost like it was it was a string and he was the puppet connected to it.

Why? Why did he react to that voice and not the other one? And who was this Natsu it spoke of?

 _"Who's there?"_ his thoughts whispered. _"Who are you?"_

The soft voice came again, as if it could hear his questions and wanted to answer. But it sounded so distant that the young man could only hear a few words.

 _"Natsu…Dragneel…You are…wizard of Fairy Tail…try to remember."_

 _"Natsu? Fairy Tail?"_

Those two names; they sounded so familiar.

Natsu. Was he Natsu? That was certainly what the voice kept calling him.

 ** _"Don't listen to that voice!"_** the vicious one interjected. **_"Your name is E.N.D.! Remember your mission and destroy this obstacle!"_**

Destroy? Destroy what? What mission?

It was then that the man began to feel something. His right hand began to feel hot, like it was on fire. At the same time, his whole body began to shiver even though he wasn't cold in the slightest. This was a horrible feeling, like he was trapped without a prayer of escape.

What was this feeling? It was awful!

 ** _"Do it!"_** the harsh voice demanded. **_"Destroy this human! Burn her to ashes!"_**

What human? What was this voice talking about? There was nothing around him but darkness.

At that moment, the faint voice called out again, this time a little stronger than before.

 _"Natsu stop, please!"_

 _"That voice…"_ the man thought. _"It's so familiar. Who…is that?"_

As if to answer his question, the voice cried out, _"Natsu, it's me, Lucy!"_

Lucy?

Wait, Lucy!

That name! It was definitely familiar! He had heard it somewhere before, but where?! Oh, if only he could remember!

"Lu…Lucy?" his voice whispered.

Just the sound of that name seemed to bring something to life inside of the man. A strong thump within his chest vibrated throughout his whole body. At the same time, he heard a strange sound echo within the space around him. It was something like…a steady beat.

He felt and heard it over and over again. What was that?

Slowly, stiffly, he raised his right up to his chest and clutched at the place where the beating sensation was the strongest. It was as if he wanted reach inside himself and seize something there that was precious.

Suddenly, his eyes widened and flashed with realization. He remembered who he was now. He was Natsu Dragneel of Fairy Tail. And this Lucy…his connection to her was still hazy, but he just had the feeling knew she was someone he knew.

He snapped his head around for the source of this Lucy's voice. But all he saw was utter blackness. His senses became fully awake, and he looked down with horror as he saw his body fading away.

Now he knew why he was shivering so badly. He was afraid. This horrible feeling was fear.

The fear of vanishing forever in darkness!

This place…it was trying to devour him! In was only a matter of time until he was consumed by this darkness!

No! This couldn't be his fate! He didn't want to die like this! He had to escape! But how?! There was no way out!

Maybe this Lucy could help him!

"Lucy!" Natsu called out. "Lucy, is that really you?! Where are you?! Can you hear me?!"

 ** _"No!"_** the vicious voice shouted angrily. **_"You will not escape me! That girl is nothing to you now! I won't let her take you! You are E.N.D., a demon of Zeref! YOU WILL BECOME E.N.D. ONCE AGAIN, EVEN IF I HAVE TO KILL THIS PART OF YOU FOR THAT TO HAPPEN!"_**

Natsu looked around for the source of the voice, but saw no one.

And what did it mean by…

Suddenly, pain shot through Natsu. A cry of agony escaped his mouth and he curled up into a ball, shutting his eyes tightly. It was as if an invisible burning, jagged sword had just been driven into his belly and was being twisted around. He didn't feel any gapping wound, nor did he smell any blood, but the pain was unbearable. And now he was feeling himself vanishing even faster. In just a couple of seconds, there would be nothing left of him.

At this rate, he really was going to die!

 _"Natsu!"_

Suddenly, Natsu felt as if something rammed into him and heard a girl cry out in distress. He also felt some weight press up against his chest and forehead. It also felt strangely soft and warm.

What was this sensation?

 _"Natsu! It's me, Lucy! I'm right here!"_

Natsu's eyes snapped wide open.

Lucy! She sounded so close, like she was right in front of him!

But he still couldn't see her! Where was she?!

Her voiced called out to him again.

 _"Don't you remember me?! Please remember me! Just look into my eyes! We met in Hargeon and you save me! You brought me to Fairy Tail and made me part of your team!"_

A memory sparked in Natsu's mind. That's right, he met a girl in a port town called Hargeon. He could see her face now. She had sun golden hair, chocolate brown eyes, and a smile that could light up room. She told him she wanted to join Fairy Tail, the wizard guild. And after he saved her from slave traders, he brought her to Fairy Tail and the two became a team.

He remembered that…he always wanted to see her smile.

She was Lucy! That girl was Lucy! He was sure of it!

 _"You also saved me from Phantom Lord!"_ Lucy's voice cried again. _"You were always there for me! Whenever I lost hope or was afraid, you gave me the strength to carry on! You were also the first person to believe in me! You gave me courage when I needed it the most! Please, Natsu, you have to remember!"_

Natsu grimaced. He knew what he had to do.

"I remember, Lucy!" he struggled to talk. "I remember all of it!"

 ** _"It's too late, E.N.D.!"_** the evil voice shouted in his mind. **_"Your transformation is almost complete! You cannot escape your fate! All you once knew will vanish from your memory! And so will your soul!"_**

Natsu scowled and forced himself to fight through the pain he was in.

"I'm not E.N.D.!" he snarled, straining to get his words out. "Not now! I'm Natsu…of Fairy Tail! And I refuse…to vanish! Just try to kill me, I'll never give in!"

Natsu began to walk forward. He wasn't sure why, something inside him was telling him to go in this direction. As he did, the voice that was holding him back slowly grew fainter. At the same time, however, the pain in his stomach was becoming stronger and was beginning to spread through his body. Once or twice he almost doubled over from the agony of it all. Whatever this spirit was, it was trying to keep him from reaching the source of Lucy's voice.

But Natsu kept fighting. He had to keep fighting no matter what. His vision kept fading in and out, but he kept walking with all the strength he could muster. He clutched at the thumping thing in his chest, feeling a strange sense of comfort just by feeling it. It also seemed to give him the willpower to keep going.

 _"Natsu, you have to come back!"_ Lucy's voice called out to him again. _"I know you're in there! Please, hear my voice and fight this Curse! Please, I'm begging you!"_

"I hear you, Lucy!" Natsu strained. "Keep calling! Let me know where you are!"

It was then that a small speck of light began to shine just ahead of him. It steadily grew bigger and its rays seemed to reach out towards him. A warm, hopefully feeling came from it, beckoning him to come forward and into it.

He had to reach it.

For it was from there that Lucy's voice spoke again.

 _"Fairy Tail needs you! Happy, Grey, Erza, Wendy, Carla, we all need you!"_

With every step, Natsu's memories returned in pieces. He could see the faces of all of his friends, guild mates, and allies. He could see them all clearly now.

He had to get back to them. He just had to.

 **"NO!"** the hideous voice raged. **"YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE, E.N.D.!"**

Finally, a horrible wave of excruciating pain stabbed right through Natsu. He howled in pain and fell to the ground. His whole body had gone completely numb and he couldn't move.

Unless he could reach that light, he was done for!

Desperation and terror tightened their grip around him so hard that began to shout out towards the light, hoping it could save him.

"LUCY! HELP ME!"

What Lucy said next was like the answer to a prayer, and her voice was stronger than before.

 _"I need you! I can't imagine my life without you! You're the best thing that ever happened to me! That's why I need you to stay with me! Because…I…I LOVE YOU, NATSU!"_

Natsu's eyes widened in shock and the thumping thing in his chest skipped a beat when he heard those last four words.

Did Lucy say that she…

Natsu couldn't even complete that thought because a whole new wave of emotions crashed into him when he felt something press up against his lips.

What a rush.

In less time than it took to breathe, Natsu felt his strength return. The pain that was eating away at him vanished; his body had become solid again. Soon, he found he was flying towards the light.

The ugly voice that had been trying to destroy him before was howling in agony as he left it far behind. It grew fainter and fainter before disappearing altogether.

A warm, gentle glow enveloped Natsu as images began to flash in his mind.

Fairy Tail…

His friends staring at him in horror…

The destruction of the land down below…

The Lumen Historie…

Lucy trembling in fear with tears streaming down her cheeks…

And finally…Lucy kissed him.

Once again, darkness clouded Natsu's vision. But this was different than the other stuff he was trapped in. He knew he could escape this one. All he had to do was open his eyes.

Slowly, taking in a deep breath, he opened them.

Right in front of him, so close that he could see all the details in her eyes, was Lucy.

"Lucy?" Natsu's voice was shaky.

"Natsu." Lucy replied softly. "Are you okay now?"

Natsu didn't answer. He took one glance at Lucy and his heart became as heavy as stone. Her black tank top and skirt were torn and dirty, she was shivering all over, and her eyes were alit with fear. But what struck Natsu the hardest was that there were burn-marks on her forehead and hands. While they weren't severe, they still looked like they stung a lot.

That's right. He remembered now. When he was becoming E.N.D., his whole body was as hot as burning metal. And Lucy held on to him while she called out to his soul.

 _"I hurt her."_ Natsu's mind said painfully. _"I never wanted to…"_

"I'm…" Natsu struggled past his guilt. "I'm so sorry, Lucy. I hurt you, didn't I?"

"No, it's alright." Lucy replied, doing her best to smile. "It wasn't your fault. You weren't yourself and I know that."

Natsu was about to say something when Lucy swayed for a moment and then fell.

"Lucy!"

Natsu quickly fell to his knees and caught Lucy in his arms. He then held onto her for dear life: clutching her around her waist and back, and pressing her head up against his chest as if he wanted to press her into his heart.

He trembled uncontrollably as he thought about what he almost did. He didn't just hurt Lucy; he almost _killed_ her. He could see himself in that heinous form of E.N.D. threatening her with a ball of fire. And seeing her terrified face when he did was the hardest blow of all.

What's worse, Natsu remembered that he took pleasure in her fear.

Just thinking of that made Natsu's stomach clenched in disgusted guilt. He felt it twist so hard that it became a physical pain.

Unable to contain this feeling, tears began to fall from his eyes. He felt ashamed to let anyone see him in such a vulnerable state, but the weight of what he almost did was too great to push away.

He couldn't forget that he almost killed Lucy; the last person he would ever want to hurt.

"What were you thinking, Loony?!" Natsu exclaimed with a terrible ache in his soul. "I…I could've killed you!"

"Yeah," Lucy replied, her voice calm and sincere, "I know you could've. But I also knew you wouldn't. You'd never hurt me."

Before Natsu could respond to that, Lucy wrapped her right arm around his neck and rested her head up against his chest, closing her eyes as she did. Natsu froze for a moment. A blush came over his cheeks as he felt her warm breath gently breeze up against his skin.

Lucy had never shown his much affection towards him before. The only time she did was when Natsu defeated Future Rogue and she hugged him from behind. But that was the only time. Other than that, she seemed afraid to get close to him in that manner.

But this was different. Lucy wasn't shying away, nor did she look uncomfortable about being so close to him like this.

She was smiling. It was a peaceful kind of smile. She looked as if she was happy to be in Natsu's arms. And by the way she was holding him, it was like she didn't want to let him go. Even after what he did, she was still smiling at him.

"Lucy, I'm sorry," was all Natsu could say. "I'm truly sorry."

Lucy opened her eyes and looked up Natsu. She then placed a hand on his cheek and wiped some of his tears away with her thumb. Her eyes were soft and kind.

This made Natsu feel even guiltier. That was forgiveness sparkling in her eyes. How could she forgive him so easily? He couldn't barely stand himself right now, so why wasn't she mad at him? She wasn't even afraid of him anymore.

"I know you are," she said in a beautifully calm voice. "But that wasn't you. That was E.N.D. taking over. You and that Demon are two different people. I don't care what anyone says, you're still Natsu to me."

Natsu stared at the young woman with astonishment. The weight in his chest was getting lighter and lighter, and he was beginning to find it easier to breath.

"And…" Lucy said, a blush beginning to come over her cheeks, "I never told you this before because…I guess I was too afraid of my own feelings. But when I thought I was going to lose you forever, I…I couldn't lie to myself anymore. I don't know if you remember what I said, but I promise you that it the truth. Natsu, I love you, with all my heart."

Natsu blinked at that statement. He did remember. He could clearly hear those words ring in his mind.

 _"I love you, Natsu!"_

Lucy didn't just say that out of desperation or because she was drunk on terror. She really meant it. That was why she risked her life to save him from himself. And that was why she could forgive him without hesitation. And it was because of that confession of love that she was able to bring him out of that darkness.

Just knowing that was enough to lift the stone from Natsu's heart. All the guilt he had before disappeared entirely and he smiled. He then closed his eyes and his head down until his forehead touched Lucy's. He felt her wince a bit as he stung the burn on her forehead, but she didn't make any action to move away.

"I'm sort of glad you waited until now to tell me." Natsu whispered gratefully. "Cause if you hadn't, I'm not sure I would've been able to break the Curse on my own. I was lost in the darkness. I almost forgot who I was and everyone I held dear. But then I heard your voice, and it guided me back to the light. You brought me back."

Natsu moved in a little closer; his breath and Lucy's started to mingle together.

Now it was his turn to admit his feelings to Lucy. The feelings he had been harboring for a long time. And now that he knew how Lucy felt, he was ready to say them.

"Thank you, Lucy," he said. "You saved my life. And…I've got something to confess. Lucy, I love you, too."

The moment those words left his mouth, Natsu moved in and kissed Lucy on the lips. He felt her tense for a moment and became worried that she would pull away. But she immediately relaxed, brought both of her arms up and around his neck, and returned the kiss. This feeling was so strange. It was like all positive emotions were stirring around inside of Natsu in an ecstasy of joy. He had never felt anything like it before. He didn't want it to stop.

For a moment, both Natsu and Lucy's hearts, pressed up against each other, began to beat in perfect time.

This was a moment they would never forget. And it would be one they would both treasure for as long as they lived.

After what seemed like forever, the two slowly pulled away from each other. They smiled at one another as the memory lingered in their minds.

Natsu then let out a sigh and looked into Lucy's eyes. As much as he wanted to keep this moment, he knew that there was still a great danger going on.

"We still have work to do," he said. "We still have to stop Zeref and Acnologia. And there are the others. Well, as far as they know, I'm still E.N.D."

"Yes," Lucy replied. "But you don't have to be afraid. I'll be by your side the whole time."

Natsu gave a gracious nod. Even if he only had one friend beside him, that was enough to make him feel brave.

He began to stand up, supporting Lucy at the same time as she got to her feet. Once they were both standing, they looked at each other. Neither one had to speak to understand the promise that had passed between them.

 _We'll do this together as one!_

Natsu then took Lucy's hand in his and the two ran out of the Lumen Historie Chamber.

Although Natsu knew that he would have to face his friends, he wasn't scared at all. His courage had returned and he felt like his old self again. Only now, he felt stronger in knowing that Lucy would be beside him. She had risked her life to save him once, and it was clear she was ready to do it again.

Natsu heart hammered with determination. This one was the determination to protect the most precious person in his life. He had always protected Lucy in the past, but this time was going to be different. He was going to protect her with his life, just as she fought to save his.

They would stand together no matter.

And no matter what happened, Natsu knew one thing was certain. As long Lucy was in his life, he would always return to her. She would always be his light in the darkness. She was his fire that would never extinguish.

No one could change that. Nor would they break the bond that they both shared. Not Zeref, not Acnologia, no one.

As long as they were both still alive, Natsu and Lucy would always find a way back to each other.

* * *

 **Done!**

 **Good grief, I'm still amazed by how hard writing romance can be, especially if you want to keep the characters in character as much as possible. Still, I hope I did a good job.**

 **By the way, I was listening to "I Will Always Return" from "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron" when I was writing this chapter, hence the title. It just seemed to fit with the situation that was going on. It also helped me get a feel for the story from Natsu's perspective.**

 **Anyway, thank you so much for reading this. I hope to bring you more entertainment in the future.**

 **Have a Good Day!**


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